Golf-ball washer



Feb. 18, 1930. MQLLART GOLF BALL WASHER original Filed Nov. 12, i924- Petenred Feb. 18, 1930 PATENT OFFICE LOBEGOTT MOLLART, OF 'WAJLIIRTOVlTN,u WISCONSIN' 4 GOLF-BALL WASHER Appneeuon med november 12, 1924, serial No. 749,458. nenewea April e, 1929.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in golf ball washers, although the same may be adapted for the cleaning of articles other than golf balls or 5 for any other purpose to which the principle is capable of application.

The facilities aorded at the-varlous golf courses for the cleaning of golf balls generally comprise a brush secured on one side of the sand and water box, the ball being washed by being dipped in the water and then briskly rubbed on the brush. This manner of washing golf balls is very unsatisfactory, in that the brush bristles cause the water to be' sprayed onto the player and, further the hands of the player are often injured by' coming into contact with the rough brush, which must of necessity be employed.

Having the above and other objectionable features to the present day manner of cleaning golf balls in mind, vthis invention contemplates as one of its objects the prov1s1on of a device -wherein the ball may be readily lcleaned without necessitating the holding of thellball in the players hands. Arrether object of this invention resides in the ,ovision of a device of the character described having a tank member orcontainer in which a brush is secured together with means permitting the -movement of the ball to be cleaned over'the brush.

It is another object of this invention to' provide a device of the character described having means whereby the ball is rotated in all directions as it is moved over the surface of a cleaning member.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described having means for adjusting the cleaning member to compensate for wear thereon.

And a still further object of this invention resides in the provision'of a device of the character described including a tank member or water container having cleaning means therein and a member for passing av ball over the cleaning means and rotating the same in all directions whereby the ball is rapidly cleaned. A

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceed's, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly dened by the ap 56 pended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing I have il- 6 lustrated on'e complete example of the'physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised -for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section and partly in elevation, illustrating a gdolf ball washer embodying my invention, an -v Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 70 2--2 of Figure 1 illustrating the structure of the pocket walls.

The invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing is designed to take the place of the brush generally secured to the sand and'water box at the various tees of golf courses for the cleaning of golf balls and comprises a tank member or receptacle 5 which is preferably of rectangular shape and provided, in the present embodiment, with a pair of attaching members 6 secured to one wall thereof to permit the ready attachment ofthe device to the sand boxl or other place 4by engaging the attaching members over the edge of the box. If desired the outer ends of the attaching member-may beprovided with apertures 7 through which fastening means, not shown, may be passed, although it is readily apparent that other means for attachment may be'employed if desired.

Positioned in the bottom of the tank 5 is a bottom brush support 8 preferably formed from a single length of spring Vmaterial of a width substantially equal to the inside width of the-tank vand with its end portions extended upwardly, as at 9, and then directed inwardly and upwardly to provide spring brush engaging lips 10, to be later described. As best illustrated in the drawing, the distance between the outer faces of the upstruck ortionsy 9 is substantially equal to the insi e width of the tank member.

Secured over the upper ends of each side wall 11 of the tank member is a spring ento by rivets or other fastenings 14. The adjacent members 10 and 12 define a recess or pocket in which a brush member 15 is adapted to be readily removably secured by conining its head 16 therebetween. The brush is inserted by rst engaging its lower end 17 with the spring lip 10 vwhich is then de- 'pressed or sprung by applying pressure on the brush head until its upper end 18 passes under the upper lip 12. If desired the ends of the brush head may be curved as indicated in the drawing in order that the spring of the lips 10 and 12 will tend to urge the brush head a ainst the adjacent side tank wall.

In t e accompanying drawing, -a device is illustrated employing two brushes, one or both, if desired, having screws or other adjusting means 19 in the rear wall thereof and abutting the adjacent tank side wall. The screw members 19 permit compensation for wear on the bristles 2O of thebrush or brushes, adjustment being made by removing the brush having the screw-members and turning the screws 19 back the desired distance, when the brushes are replaced between the spring members.

The brushes, when mounted in the container, have their bristles o posed and` spaced a distance referably slig tly less than the diameter oiP a golf ball and a lun er or actuating member 21 is adapte to passed between the brushes to cause the golf ball 22 to be cleaned to be subjected to a severe scrubbing action bythe brushes. The plunger 21 is of a length preferably greater than the depth of the tank and has its outer end preferably cut to provide a hand engag#v ing portion 23 and its inner portion provided with a pocket or recess 24 o a width greater than the diameter of a golf ball and substantially e ual to the transverse area of the brush bristles the plunger 21 being of a thickness less than the diameter of a golf ball. in order to insure the proper presentation of the opposite sides and surfaces thereof to the brushes. v

The pocket 24 is in the form of a slot set obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the plunger and with the transverse sides 25 and 26 of the slot cut obliquely to the cross sectional plane of the plunger. 'This arrangement of the pocket or recess 24 causes the ball to rotate in all directions as the plunger is reciprocated in the ace between the brushes, the ball bein in t e upper left pocket at the start of the down stroke; be-

-ing advanced sidewise during the vdown stroke from left tovright. with reference to the drawing by reason of the inclination of the side 25 rotatin on a substantially vertical axis as it rolls om left to right on a horizontal axis by reason the oblique inclination with respect to the across sectional plane of the plunger.

When the plun er reaches its inward limit of movement the all is in the upper righthand corner of the pocket and, when the plunger is moved outwardly, the ball then rst engagps in the lower right hand corner of the poc et ,against side 26, its rotation on a substantiallyhorizontal axis being continued by the oblique inclination of the wall 26 with respect to the cross sectional plane of the lunger and its rotation on a substantial y vertical axis being continued by its advancement from right to left due to the inclination downwardly toward the left of the wall 26. In this manner it will be readily apparent that the ball is rotated in all directlons, thus insuring the cleaning of the ball very rapidly with-a minimum of strokes of the plunger. The container 5 is maintained substantially filled with water, as will be readily apparent, and from. the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawin it will be readily apparent to those skilled 1n the art to which an invention of this character appertains that I provide a very eicient and inexpensive device for the cleaning of golf balls without necessitating the contact of the players hands with the ball or the cleaning member during the cleanin operation.

at I claim as my invention is 1. A device of the character described, comprising a container adapted to contain a liquid, a plurality of cleaning members posltioned in the container with their cleaning faces oplposed, frictional retaining means within t e container adapted to maintain the cleaning elements therein, means for reciprocating a ball to be cleaned between said members to subject the ball to a cleaning action by the members, and means carried by the cleaning members and bearing upon the walls of the container for adjusting the cleaning members with respect to each other.

2. A device ofthe class described, compris-- ing a member having a ilat cleaning surface, a second member provided with an article-re ceiving recess adapted to receive therein a ball to be cleaned, said second member being movable over the cleaning surface of the` rst member with the ball in contact with the including means within'said recess for changing the position of the ball therein as the second member is moved.

3. A ball cleaning device of the character described, comprising a container adapted to h ave a liquid therein, a brush member positloned in said container, a plunger movable in the container parallel with the cleaning surface of the brush member, means formed within said plunger for carrying a ball to be cleaned and maintaining the same in engagement with the brush member as the plunger is moved, and means carried by the brush member and engageable against one`wall of the container for adjusting the same to compensate for wear thereon.

4. A device of the class described, compris- 'ing a liquid receptacle, a lat cleaning memin an article-receiving pocket, and said pocket having certain of its walls inclined so as to cause lthe article to change its position within the pocket during each movement of y the movable member.

5. A device ofthe class described, comprising a liquid receptacle, a pair of spaced cleanin members therein, a movable member of su stantially elongated shape between said cleaning members and having therein a pocket to receive the article to be cleaned, and certain walls of said pocket being inclinedfor the purpose of rotating the article during each movement of the movable member.

6. A device ofthe class described, com ris-- ing a liquid receptacle, a pair of spaced c eaning members therein, a member movable within said receptacle and between said cleaning members, said movable member having therein a pocket for receivin an articleto be cleaned, vthe opposite sides o the article frictionally engaging the cleanin members, and the bottom and top walls of the pocket being inclined transversely of the movable member.

causing a ball to be rotated during movement of said holder.

9. A ball cleaning device of the character described, comprising a container, cleaning members mounted within the container with their cleaning faces op osed, a substantially flat and elongated mem er reciprocable in the container and between the cleaning faces of the cleaning members and having an opening extending therethrough to receive a ball to be cleaned, said member being of a thickness less than the diameter of the ball whereby the peri hery of the ball extends beyond the sides o said member and in contact with the cleaning members. 4

10. In a golr` ball cleaning device of the class described, a receptacle open at its upper end a pair of opposed brushes arranged vertically within the receptacle, a plate vertically slidable within the receptacle between said brushes, said plate being formed with a diagonally extendlng opening adjacent the lower end thereof for receiving a golf ball, and a handle connected with the upper end of the plate for actuating the same, said diagonal opening permitting the golf ball to move upwardly and downwardly during the downward and upward movement respectively of the plate when the golf ball is engaged by the opposed brushes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LOBEGOTT MOLLART.

' 7. A device of the class described, comprising a liquid receptacle having therein spaced cleaning members, a member movable within said receptacle andbetween said cleaning members said movable member having therein a poclret for receiving an article to be cleaned, the opposite sides of the article frictionally engaging the cleanin members, 'and the lbottom and top walls of t e pocket being inclined transversely of the movable mem- 

